National Republican., 1887-02-17
Ten FAST STEEL CRUISERS.
Text OF the Important Bill Passed by
the Senate Unanimously YESTERDAY.

Text of the Important Bill Passed by
the Senate Unanimously Yesterday.
The Senate yesterday passed without
opposition Senator Cameron's bill to iu-.
crease the naval establishment, the text of
which follows:
Be IL enacted, &C., That the President Is hereby
authorized TO have constructed, by contract,
ten protected steel cruisers, with such arma-
ment for each as the Navy Department may
deem suitable, each of said vessels to have u
maximum speed ofnot less than twenty kno:s
over the measured mile, such speed to be ex-
hiblted under such test or tests and conditlon
Gs the Navy Department may impose. The
cost Of all of said cruisers, in the aggregate,
complete. exclusive OF armament, shall not be
appropriated out of any money In the treasury
lot Otherwise Appropriated TO be available
during five years from March !, 1857
SEc. 9. That in the construction Of the aforc.
said vessels all OF the provisions of the act OF
Aug 3, 1876, entitled IAN act to increase the
naval establishment" as to material for said
vessels, their engines boilers, and machlnerJ
the contracts under which they are built, the
notice OF and proposals for the same, the plans.
drawings, and specifications therefor anf the
method of executing said contracts, shall be
observed and followed, and said vessels shall
be built in compliance with the terms of said
act, so far as the same relate to vessels con.
structed under contract; save that, in oil their
parts, they shall be of American manufacture.
said vessels shall cOhtain provisions to the
effect that the contractor guarantees that when
completed and tested for speed under condl-
tlons 20 be prescribed by the Navy Department
the vessels shall exhibit maximum speed OF
at least twenty knots per horr, and tor every
quarter knot of speed so exhibited above said
guarantee the contractor shall receive pre-
MUM over and above his contract price ol
$4,000, and Tor every quarter kno. that said
vessel fails OF reaching said guaranteed sperl
there shall be deducted from the contract price
the sum of $4,000; aud for the purposes pro-
vided in this section the sum of So 900 000 or SO
much OF the same as may be necessary, Is
hereby appropriated out of any money Ia the
treasury not Otherwise appropriated.
SEC 4. Th0t for the armament OF the vessels
herclnbefore provided for the sum OF siS0),-
600 is hereby appropriated out OF any money
in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to
be available during five years from March 4,
1857.
SEC. s. In making proposals tor contracts fol
building the vessels authorized to bo con.
structed under this act, 1t shall be required
that three of such vessels shall be built on OF
near the coast of the Pacific ocean, or the
waters connecting herewith three of them on
or near the coast of the Gulf Of Mexico or the
waters connecting herewith, and four of them
on or near the coast OF the Atlantic ocean or the
waters connecting Herewith, aud at such
places on or near such coasts or waters as the
Secretary of the Navy shall provide. If II
shall appear to the satisfaction of the Secre-
tary of the Navy. from the biddlngs for said
contracts, when the same are opened and
examined by him, that said vessels cannot be
constructed at a fair cost on or near the coast
ofihe Pacific ocean or the Gulf of Mexico he
shall suspend the construction of the vessels
herein required 10 be built on or near said
coasts or either of them until the further
action of Congress, ana shall report the reason,
for such suspension to Congress with all con.
yenient dispatch.